Microwaveable Ice Cream Sundaes

Johnston's Hot Scoop Microwave Sundae is one of those products where you have to wonder what was going through the minds of the executives who dreamed it up. Introduced in the mid-1980s, the concept was that it was an entire, frozen ice cream sundae that you could heat in the microwave, and (in theory) only the topping would melt.

In practice, the ice cream also inevitably melted, leaving consumers with a soggy mix of ice cream and topping. And yet the company went to all the effort to make this thing because they figured it would be too difficult for people to just heat the topping on its own.



A review of the product:

Minneapolis Star Tribune - July 16, 1986

Posted By: Alex - Mon Jul 30, 2018 - Comments (4)
Category: Food, Products, 1980s

Push-Button Toothpaste

Toothpaste in a shaving-cream can.

Colorado Springs Gazette - Nov 24, 1972

Posted By: Alex - Sat Jun 30, 2018 - Comments (4)
Category: Products, 1970s, Teeth

Creap Creamer

It's one of the most famous examples of a Japanese product with a weird English name.

The name is a portmanteau of 'creaming powder.' When the marketing team came up with the name back in 1960, they evidently didn't realize about the word 'creep.' Or maybe they figured that few Japanese consumers would know what a creep was.



The way the company discusses the product on the product website results in some (presumably) unintentional humor: "This creap comes in a light, convenient plastic bottle... This creap comes in a light, small plastic bottle."



More info: You Don’t Know, Creap! 3 Odd Facts About Japan’s Awkwardly Named Coffee Creamer

Posted By: Alex - Sat Jun 23, 2018 - Comments (2)
Category: Odd Names, Products

Baked Cat Food

Maybe cats thought it tasted great, but it sounded disgusting.

Baltimore Sun - Jan 19, 1975

Posted By: Alex - Fri May 18, 2018 - Comments (5)
Category: Food, Products, Cats, 1970s

Follies of the Madmen #364

Woman with memory issues ensures she will be regarded as insane.



Original ad here.

Posted By: Paul - Mon May 07, 2018 - Comments (2)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Tobacco and Smoking, 1950s

Follies of the Madmen #358

These people look abnormally happy, considering that they have such mutual bad breath and are in close proximity.

Original ad, alas, now locked away behind the CHICAGO TRIBUNE paywall.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Apr 05, 2018 - Comments (1)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Hygiene, 1950s

Follies of the Madmen #356

The metaphor is so strained and odd, that the reader will surely just go, "Huh?"

Source of ad. (Scroll forward one page.)

Posted By: Paul - Thu Mar 22, 2018 - Comments (7)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Surrealism, 1940s

Follies of the Madmen #355

Oh, no! Will Mr. Decay catch runaway Mr. Tooth? The suspense is unbearable!

Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 14, 2018 - Comments (3)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Hygiene, Children, 1950s

Follies of the Madmen #353

Source of ad.

"Our paper towels make women horny."

Posted By: Paul - Fri Feb 23, 2018 - Comments (4)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Business, Advertising, Products, Domestic, 1950s, Women

Follies of the Madmen #351

Uncertain what "umph" actually tastes like.

Source of ad.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Feb 16, 2018 - Comments (3)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Tobacco and Smoking, 1980s